Mounting apparatus for ink form rollers



Jan. 27, 1970 A. T. ZURICK MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR INK FORM ROLLERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 51, 1967 INVENTOR ALBERT T- ZURICK ATTORNEY Jan. 27, 1970 A. T. zuRIcK NNNNNN O R Jan. 27, 1970 A. T. ZURICK 3,491,686

MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR INK FORM ROLLERS Filed July 31, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet S FIG-3 INVENTOR ALBERT T.ZUR|CK ATTORNEY Jan. 27, 1970 A. T. zuRlcK 3,491,686

MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR INK FORM ROLLERS Filed July 31, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR ALBERT T.ZU K

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,491,686 MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR INK FORM ROLLERS Albert T. Zurick, Aldan, Pa., assignor to Fredk H. Levey Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 31, 1967, Ser. No. 657,105 Int. Cl. B41f 31/34, 31/36 US. Cl. 101-352 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to the inker system for delivering ink to the plate cylinders of a printing machine. More particularly, it relates to an improved apparatus that facilitates setting of ink form rollers in contact with said plate cylinders.

This invention may be employed in any printing machine that employs ink form rollers in the delivery of ink to the objects being printed. In such machines, ink is supplied by an inker system to the form rollers that are in contact with a plate cylinder. Periodically, the components of this system must be cleaned, and the setting of the form rollers to the plate cylinder and/or the vibrator rolls that supply ink to the form rollers must be adjusted. When it is desired to clean or adjust the plate cylinders or the form rollers, it has heretofore been common practice to move the form roller away from the plate cylinder by moving the entire inker system to a non-operative position. Moving the entire inker system in this manner, however, is a cumbersome and time consuming operation.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved apparatus for the delivery of ink to the plate cylinders of a printing machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved inker system for a printing machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved printing machine in which cleaning and adjustment of the plate cylinders and form rollers is facilitated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved inker system in which adjustment for setting pressure between the form rollers and the plate cylinders is facilitated.

With these and other objects in mind, the present invention is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the form rollers in their operative position in contact with the plate cylinder.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view showing the form rollers in their inoperative position out of contact with the plate cylinder.

FIGURE 3 is an end view, partly sectional, taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and showing means for adjusting the printing pressure between the form rollers and the plate cylinder.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 5 and representing another embodiment of the means ,for adjusting the printing pressure between the platecylinder and the form rollers.

FIGURE 5 is an end view, partly sectional, of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 4 and taken along the line 5-5 of said FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an end view corresponding to that shown in .FIGURE 5 and representing another embodiment of this feature of the present invention.

In the drawings, and particularly as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the form rollers are represented by the numeral 1. In FIGURE 1, form rollers 1 are shown in their operative position in contact with plate cylinder 2. In FIGURE 2, on the other hand, form rollers 1 are shown in their inoperative position out of contact with plate cylinder 2. The form rollers are supplied with ink through vibrator rolls 15 that are in contact with the remainder of a conventional ink supply system, not shown.

Form rollers 1 are rotatably mounted on support shafts 4 which, in turn, are mounted between supporting brackets 3 positioned at each end of the form rollers. Supporting brackets 3 are pivotally mounted for rotation about pivot point 5.

Also associated with each form roller 1 is a pivot shaft 6 having an eccentrically mounted sleeve 7, as shown more fully in FIGURE 3. Mounted on this eccentric sleeve 7 is link member 8. This link member is also secured to supporting brackets 3.

Pivot shaft 6 is rotatably mounted on frame 24 and attached at one end to block 9. This block is connected by means of connecting link 10 to connecting arm 11, which is pivotable about pivot point 12. The opposite end of connecting arm 11 is connected to the push rod 13 of air cylinder 14.

The present invention, as heretofore described and shown in said FIGURES 1 and 2, makes reference to the features of the invention at one end of the form rollers. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apparatus, not shown, at the opposite end of each form roller will be the same as that described and illustrated herein.

In operation, air cylinder 14 is, set so that push rod 13 may be moved between predetermined operative and inoperative positions. In the operative position, form rollers 1 will be in contact with plate cylinder 2. In the inoperative position, form rollers 1 will be moved back to a position out of contact with the plate cylinder, thus facilitating cleaning or adjustment of the rollers as may be required from time to time. When push rod 13 moves from its operative position as shown in FIGURE 1 to its inoperative position as shown in FIGURE 2, connecting arm 11 is caused to pivot about its pivot point 12, causing connecting link 10 to move in an are about the center of pivot shaft 6. The movement of connecting link 10 causes block 9 to likewise move in an art causing pivot shaft 6 to rotate. The rotation of pivot shaft 6 causes its eccentrically mounted sleeve 7 to swing in an arc. Link member 8 is caused to move by the movement of eccentric sleeve 7. In turn, link member 8 causes supporting brackets 3 to move about pivot point 5 to a position in which support shafts 4 and form rollers 1 mounted thereon are moved to a predetermined inoperative position in which form rollers 1 are out of contact with plate cylinder 2.

When it is desired to move the form rollers into their predetermined position in contact with plate cylinder 2, this is readily accomplished by causing push rod 13 to air cylinder 14 to move in the opposite direction to its predetermined operative position. This movement of push rod 13 causes a reversal of the movements hereinabove described so that pivot shaft 6 is caused to rotate in the opposite direction causing eccentrically mounted sleeve 7 to move back through the same are to its original position. Link member 8 is likewise moved in its opposite direction, causing supporting brackets 3 to pivot about pivot point 5 back to its original position. In this-position, support shafts 4 are in such a position that form rollers I mounted thereon are in their operative position in contact with plate cylinder 2. During the movement from the operative to the inoperative position, and vice versa, it is unnecessary to move vibrator rolls 15 from their predetermined position. The remaining elements of the conventional inker system, not shown, also need not be moved from their normal positions.

The present invention as heretofore described provides for the movement of the form rollers between fixed operative and inoperative positions. It is also highly desirable to have a fine adjustment feature that will enable the printing pressure between plate cylinder 2 and form rollers 1 to be adjusted. Likewise, it is desirable to provide some means for adjusting the printing pressure between form rollers 1 and vibrator rolls 15, the next rolls in the conventional inker system running back to the ink supply. In one embodiment of the present invention, means for controlling the pressure between the form rollers and the plate cylinder is provided. This feature is best illustrated in FIGURE 3. In this embodiment, pivot shaft 6 is split into two separate portions 6a and 6b. Portion 6bis keyed by means of key 16b to eccentrically mounted sleeve portion 7b, upon which link 8 is mounted at the operative end of the apparatus. At the same end of the apparatus, pivot shaft portion 6a is keyed to sleeve portion 7a by means of key 16a. At the opposite end of the apparatus, pivot shaft .portion 6a is supported by frame 24. Pivot shaft portion 6a is keyed to eccentrically mounted sleeve 70 by means of key 160. Mounted on eccentric sleeve 7c is link member 8a, which is also secured to supporting bracket 3a. Support shaft. 4 is mounted on supporting bracket 3a by means of pivotable bearing 30, which makes it possible to skew form roller 1 in order to overcome misalignment of the rollers. A conventional, commercially-available spherical bearing may conveniently be employed as the pivotable bearing 30; It is also within the scope of this invention to include such pivotable bearings at each end of the form roller if desired.

Intimate locking between sleeve portion 7a and eccentric sleeve portion 7b is accomplished by means of adjustable clamping bolts 17 mounted either on eccentric sleeve portion 7b or on sleeve portion 7a. When it is desired to adjust printing pressure between the plate cylinder and the form roller, clamping bolts 17 are adjusted so as to cause sleeve portion 7a to move slightly. This, in turn, causes rotation of pivot shaft portion 6a. The rotation of shaft portion 6a, in turn, causes rotation of eccentric sleeve 70 and movement of link member 8a at the Opposite end of the apparatus, causing movement of the various elements in the manner heretofore described. Because of spherical bearing 30, it is possible to skew support shaft 4, and form roller 1, by means of the motion imparted by sleeve portion 7a in order to overcome misalignment of the rollers and to provide the desired pressure between the form roller and its associated plate cylinder.

It is also desirable to provide means for adjusting the printing pressure between form rollers 1 and vibrator rolls 15. This may 'be accomplished by having form rollers 1 mounted on an eccentric portion 18 of support shafts 4. By loosening clamping bolt 19, support shaft 4 may be rotated so as to cause eccentric portion 18 thereof to move iii an arc so as to either increase or decrease the pressure between the form roller and the vibrator roll.

In place of the means for adjusting printing pressure between the form rollers and the plate cylinder as shown in FIGURE 3, other means for accomplishing this adjustment may be employed within the scope of this invention. One such means is shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5. In accordance with this embodiment, Worm gear 20 is mounted upon and keyed to pivot shaft 6 in block 9. Worm 21 is provided with adjusting bolt 22. Clamping blot 23 is provided to assure a tight fit of the worm gear housing in block 9. The block is secured to shaft 6, by means of bolt 25. When it is desired to rotate pivot shaft 6, clamp bolt 23 is loosened, and adjusting bolt 22 is turned. This causes worm 21 to rotate worm gear 20, thereby causing pivot shaft 6 to rotate, thereby establishing new operative and inoperative positions.

In another embodiment of this feature of the present invention, a set of levers keyed to pivot shaft 6 may be used to affect rotation of the pivot shaft. In this embodiment, illustrated in FIGURE 6, block 9 is secured to push rod 13 of air cylinder 14 by means of link 10. Pivot shaft 6 mounted thereon is keyed to lever 27. A set of adjusting bolts 28 and 29 are provided for adjusting the position of lever 27 and, consequently, of pivot shaft 6. Movement of air cylinder push rod 13 between its predetermined positions causes rotation of block 9 about the center of pivot shaft 6. Eccentric sleeve 7 mounted thereon is thereby caused to move in an are as heretofore described. When it is desired to adjust the printing pressure between form roller 1 and plate cylinder 2, adjusting bolts 28 and 29 may be adjusted so as to cause a desired amount of movement of lever 27 on pivot shaft 6. Since this lever is keyed to pivot shaft 6, the pivot shaft will also be rotated so as to establish a new predetermined operative and inoperative position. Adjusting the position of eccentric sleeve 7 by rotating pivot shaft 6 by means of lever 27, therefore, provides a convenient means for adjusting the desired printing pressure between the plate cylinder and the form rollers. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the features disclosed in FIGURES 4-6- for adjusting pressure between the form rollers and the plate cylinders may be employed alone or in conjunction with the adjustment disclosed and illustrated in FIGURE 3. If the rollers are in perfect alignment, pressure may be adjusted by simply employing either the feature shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 or that shown in FIGURE 6. In order to correct mis-alignment of the rollers, however, it is useful to employ the feature particularly set forth in FIGURE 3 for the reasons heretofore given.

Having fully described the invention and preferred embodiments thereof, I claim:

I claim:

1. In an inker system for supplying ink to form rollers in contact with the plate cylinders of a printing machine, improved apparatus for mounting the form rollers com prising:

(a) a frame;

(b) support brackets pivotally mounted on said frame and positioned at one end opposite each of the form rollers, said support brackets each having a link member rigidly secured to another end of said support brackets, said link member having an opening there- 1n;

(c) a support shaft mounted between each of said support brackets, said support shaft having a form roller rotatably mounted thereon;

(d) a pivot shaft rotatably mounted on said frame in spaced relationship to said support bracket pivot, said pivot shaft comprising a first and a second segment in axial relationship to each other, said second segment including a pivotable support bearing mounted on said support bracket at the opposite end of the form roller, and adapted to permit the support shaft to be pivoted, and adjusting means for rotating said second segment independent of said first segment so as to alter the relative rotational position of said second segment relative to said first segment;

(e) an eccentric sleeve rigidly mounted to each segment of said pivot shaft at the end thereof, said sleeve being rotatably mounted in said link member opening, and eccentric to the axis of said pivot shaft; and

(f) mechanical means for rotating said pivot shaft through a predetermined arc, whereby the eccentric sleeve is rotated therewith and pivotally moves said support brackets and the form rollers mounted thereon into the inoperative position when rotated in one direction, and into the operative position when rotated in the other direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the mechanical means for rotating said pivot shaft comprises:

(a) an air cylinder having a push rod for movement between predetermined positions; g ,l

(b) a supporting block firmly attached to said pivot shaft;

(c) a pivotally mounted connecting arm secured at one end to said supporting blockand at the other end to said air cylinder push rod whereby movement of said air cylinder push rod causes the connecting arm to move about its pivot point thereby causing said supporting block to move so as to rotate said pivot shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the pivot shaft is keyed to a lever, said lever being mounted on said supporting block, said lever having mechanical adjustment means for moving said lever about the axis of said pivot shaft, whereby movement of said lever will cause rotation of said pivot shaft, so as to alter its predetermined operative and inoperative positions.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a worm gear is rigidly mounted on said pivot shaft, ;a' worm is positioned in operative relationship with said. worm gear, and means for turning the worm is connected to said worm, whereby the worm gear may be turned, this rotating said pivot shaft so as to alter its predetermined operative and inoperative positions. 1

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for adjusting printing pressure between the form rollers and rollers that are supplying ink from the inker system directly onto said form rollers comprising:

(a) an eccentric portion at each end of said support shaft, the form roller being rotatably mounted on said eccentric portions; and

(b) adjustable clamping means for adjustably fixing said support shaft about its axis so as to cause said eccentric portion thereof to move in an are about the axis of said support shaft, whereby adjustment of said support shaft in one direction will cause the form roller mounted on said eccentric portion to move in such' a manner so as to increase pressure between it and the next roller in the inker system and whereas movement of said support shaft in the opposite direction will tend to decrease said pressure between the form and ink supply rollers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 including a pivotable support bearing mounted on said support bracket at the operative end of said form roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner 

